Can You Forgive?
by julius uy
Summary: Feb 22, 2008 - Can You forgive those who sinned against you?


The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant ( Matthew 18:21-35 ) 

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

o

One of the biggest setback one man has in his life is probably mustering a heart to forgive. For when one performed acts of unkindness against us, we harden our hearts. How much would you want the world to give you before you can forgive one man? Have Jesus come another day to the world to be crucified? If there are 8 billion people in this world who harden their hearts, then perhaps we need Jesus to come to the world 8 billion times to be crucified.

When we sin against God, does he tell you to go to Golgotha and have yourself nailed on a cross and be put to death before sunset? Didn't he remind us that He loves us with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3)? Didn't Paul repeat it in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 when he described Love as one that does not keep a record of sin? That finally in 2 Corinthians 5:19 we are reassured that God loves us and does not count our sins against us?

If God does not harden his heart against us, who are we to harden our hearts and cut our brothers off? It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (Mt 9:12) When one sins against you, he has already fallen short from the blessings of Christ. Are you going to harden your heart so that you too will fall short like your brother? And then both of you are now sick? Should not you instead pray that God will forgive your brother for his sin so that you who are clean can lift him up?

Life is a series of trials that some, man alone cannot rise from. When you are troubled, pray for strength. For God is our provider and He will meet all our needs. (Mt 6:31-33) Trials do not come to us on their own. That is why they are called trials… because there is someone who is 'trying' us. In every trial, Jesus hides himself in it. Like a maze, it is up to you to find Jesus. The moment you do, watch him lift you up, as he turn that trial into triumph.

With man, some things are impossible… but with God, all things are possible. (Mt 19:26) When Jesus commands us to love one another (Jn 13:34), do you live up to his words? Or are you going to give Jesus the opportunity to say this to you:

"I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me. (Mt 26:21) For you will not live up to my command."

Even after Moses repeated the Ten Commandments thrice in the Old Testament, many of us fell short and did not put them in our hearts. Now Jesus said, "Okay. Erase erase erase. Here, just do this." And he gave us only one command that sums up all those commands (Rom 13:9): Love one another. Are we still stiff-necked and wouldn't want to live up to His one and only command?

Good thing Jesus is not the devil who commands us to hate one another. Because if He is, then perhaps by now we are all dead.

Each time we pray the Lord's Prayer; do you remember yourself praying the words as they were written in Matthew 6:12?

Our Father in heaven,  
hallowed be your name,  
your kingdom come,  
your will be done  
on earth as it is in heaven.  
Give us today our daily bread.  
**Forgive us our sins,  
** **as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us.****  
** And lead us not into temptation,  
but deliver us from the evil one.

Surely, God will forgive you as you have forgiven those who sinned against you.

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Mt 6:14-15)

Last Blog ko na po ito bago me pnta sa US. See you all when I see you )

Grace and Peace be with You

Amen.


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